Document recovery effort now online

[smcarberry]

About two years ago, word spread that the heritage authorities of the Republic of Ireland were seeking cooperation from repositories and the public, in order to collect whatever may remain (extracts, copies, errant originals in family vaults, etc.) of documents catalogued as being in the Registry of Deeds in Dublin when it went up in flames 1922. Now the online catalogue is available, with many images available to view:

https://virtualtreasury.ie/

There is a search engine, which results in information on the overall number of documents for a given search term and then displays a thumbnail image of each involved document. Upon clicking a thumbnnail image, the reader is taken to a new screen where again a search terms can be entered, which searches only the individual document. This second search is necessary for most of the documents I viewed this morning. Note also that not every reference is matched to a viewable document, but a citation is given for further inquiry to gain access.

FYI, there are over 3200 documents returned that mention a location named Clare. Be aware that counties other than Clare have administrative districts named Clare, such as the Barony of Clare in Galway.

Search returns are made solely for the spelling inputted. If you wish to want to check for Clair or Claire as alternative spellings, you need to do additional searches. Try using the most specific (found in one locality only) or unusual name possible.

While many of my search returns included documents already available on the EPPI website (British Parliamentary reports), there are also references to types of documents I have never heard of. Well worth your time and effort. It is a thrill to be reading back through a chain of documents that end in the one involving a lease by King John in 1202, who must be the same one who had to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.

Sharon Carberry